Book support



July 1l., 1939. J. HAMlLTON l 2,165,255

l BooK SUPPORT Filed Jufy 26, 19;?

ATTORNEYS Patented July 11, 1939 l UNITED STATES PATENTL OFFICE 4 Claims.

ArrIhis invention relates to book supports and has for its objects the provision of a simple and strong book support that is economical to manufacture, and which support is collapsible to fold 5 at and which is also adjustable to support a book at any desired degree of inclination.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the drawing accompanying this application.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention ready for use.

f Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of my invention shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of my support folded la` flat before being set up, the section being taken longitudinally of the blanks forming the support.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the lower front portion of my support taken vertically therethrough.

Fig. 5 vis a plan View of the top side of my support when folded flat, and Fig. 6 is a plan View of the bottom side of the support.

In detail, lny support comprises a pair of separate, generally rectangular, elongated blanks, u.; generally designated I and 2, which blanks are disposed one over the other with their edges in substantial alignment. Both of said blanks are similarly creased or scored transversely thereacross along lines 3, 3 adjacent one of the ends for similar bending of the blanks along said crease lines and the blanks are stapled or sewed together by staples 4 at points along said creases. Crease 3 is on blank I and crease 3' is on blank 2, and the margin between crease 3 and the edge of the blank Y'adjacent thereto is designated 5 while the corresponding margin on blank 3 is designated 5.

Spaced from crease 3 about the width of margin 5 and parallel with crease 3, the blank I is provided with a second crease 6, and spaced from crease 6 a distance about of the width of margin 5 is a still further crease 1, which latter crease is also parallel with crease 3. Fig. 6 best illustrates the arrangement of creases 3, 6, 'I. Between crease 1 and the end of theblank opposite margin 5 is left a relatively large, increasedfportion of blank I, being over two thirds of the total length of said blank, and which increased portion is designated A. Y'

The portion A of blank I is formed with a row of spaced parallel slots 8 that extend in a direction transverselyof the length of the blank, and which row of slots isdisposed centrally of the width of the blank.

Referring to blank 2, as has already been described, this blank is creased at 3', which crease corresponds to crease 3 of the blank I, and the margin 5' between the crease 3' and end of the blank adjacent thereto is of equal dimensions to margin 5.

The blank 2 is transversely creased thereacross at 9 for folding along said crease, and slits I0 extend inwardly relatively short distances from the opposite side edges of blank 9 along the line of said crease 9. Crease 9 is preferably spaced from crease 3 a distance about oneehalf the full length of blank 2, and the'portion between crease 9 and crease 3 is designated B, while the portion of the blank extending from the opposite side of crease 9 is designated C.

` From the inner ends of the slits I0, folding creases I I extend divergently toward the free end edge of portion C to spaced points I2, and the blank between said points I2 is then projected outwardly, longitudinally of the blank to provide a projecting centrally disposed tab I3 with a folding crease I4 extending between points I2.

The end edge portion C 1s cut away along lines extending divergently outwardly relatively 25 from points I2 to the outer corners of the portion C. Thus the free end edgey of portion C follows straight lines I5 similarly slanting inwardly of. said portion from the opposite outer corners thereof to points I2 respectively and from said 30 points tab I3 extends outwardlyk longitudinally of the portionC centrally between said opposite corners. The similar portion I6 outwardly of creases Il (Fig. 5) are free to be bent toward each other along creases lI by reason of the 35 slits I0, although the slits may be eliminated in certain cases and the creases II extended froml the opposite side edges of the blank at the ends of crease 9, said last mentioned crease then being extended to the side edges of the blank.

The manner of setting up the support from the flat collapsed position is most clearly described by commencing with the position indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, in which the blank I and portion A thereof are uppermost. The position A is 5 first raised, and the blank is bent along crease 3 and then the blank I is successively bent along creases 6, l and portion A is swung to horizontal position now underlying blank 2, thus forming, in cross section, a triangular, upstanding 50 ledge along the end of the blanks I and 2 adjacent the ends thereof bearing creases 3, 3.

After portion A of blank I is moved to below blank 2, the portion B of blank 2 is bent to upwardly inclined position along crease 3 and 55 portion C of blank 2 is bent downwardly along crease 9 to a position in which tab I3 will pass through one of the slots 8 in portion A. By bending the side portions I6 outwardly in a direction generally toward the free end edges of portion A, the tab I3 will freely pass through the desired slot 8, after which the tab I3 is bent along crease I toward said free edge, and in this position the edges I5 of portion I6 will rest on the upper surface of portion A in divergently extending relation toward the free end edge of portion A from the opposite ends of the slot 8 through which said tab is extended, the degree of divergence being dependent upon which slot receives tab I3.

Since the portion 20 of blank A between creases 3, 6 is wider than the portion between creases 6, l, the portion 2) is inclined relative to the plane of portion A the desired degree for supporting the lower edge of a book thereon without interference with turning the leaves of the book, and the length of portion C relative to the length of portion B is such as to give the most desirable incline to portion B for supporting the back of the book.

The support, set up as described, is adapted to rest on a table surface with the lower side of portion A at on such surface, thus any sized book, within reason, is adapted to be rigidly supported against portion B in inclined position with the laterally projecting covers of the opened book partially supported on the table at opposite sides of my device.

The portions l5 of part C act to firmly brace the portion B against collapsing where a heavy book is used.

The use of separate blanks I, 2 stapled or sewed together at il, instead of a continuous blank, is important, since this structure permits a slight slippage between margins 5, 5' when the blanks are similarly bent along creases 3, 3 which prevents undesirable bending of the blanks in folding along said latter creases as would occur were a continuous blank used. Fig. 3 shows the free end edges of blanks I, 2 along margins 5, 5' before the device is folded, While Fig. 4 illustrates how margin 5 slides outwardly over margin 5 when the blanks are folded.

The portion 20 supporting the lower edge of the book is about at right angles to the side B when the tab I3 is in the slot farthest from the free end edge of portion A, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4,' but when tab I3 is in the central slot, as in Fig. l, or in the slot nearest the end edge of portion A, the angle between portion 2S and portion B increases, so at no time does the ledge formed by portion 2G interfere with turning the leaves of an open book even though the book be relatively thin.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In book supports, a pair of elongated flat cardboard blanks of substantially similar size for forming a book support, said blanks being arranged one over the other Withtheir corresponding edges in 'substantial alignment and with adjacent nat surfaces together, lmeans securing said blanks together along one of their end margins, with the opposite end edges free,

one of said blanks being formed With transversely extending parallel creases adjacent the connected ends of the blanks for successive bending along said creases in one direction to form a transversely extending substantially triangularshaped ledge along the connected margins of the blanks with said margins forming the base of said ledge and with the major portion of the blank being adapted to move as a result of said bending through an arc of 360 to lie along the opposite surface of the other blank, said other blank being formed with a transversely extending crease generally centrally of its ends for forming the sides of a generally triangularshaped body with the first mentioned blank forming the base thereof after the said 360 movement of the first mentioned blank, and means for detachably connecting the blanks together adjacent their free ends after bending the blanks to form the triangular-shaped body.

2. In a construction as dened in claim l, the last-mentioned means comprising a projecting tab on the free end of one of said blanks and an opening formed in the other blank adapted to removably receive said tab therein.

3. In a construction as defined in claim l, said last-mentioned means comprising a tab positioned centrally ci the free end edge of said other blank and projecting outwardly in extension of said other blank, and an opening formed adjacent the free end of the first-mentioned blank adapted to removably receive said tab therein, said other blank being formed with a pair of folding creases extending divergently from opposite side edges of the tab to the ends of the transverse crease on said other blank, and the end edge of said other blank extending divergently oppositely outwardly from opposite sides of they tab, whereby when the tab is inserted in said opening said divergently extending edges of said other blank Will engage the side of the first-mentioned blank to cause the portion of said other blank disposed outwardly of said divergently extending creases to move in directions generally toward each other for bracing -the portion between the divergently extending creases against bending transversely of the blank. Y

4. A book support comprising a substantially triangular-shaped body having a flat base and f.

flat sides of relatively rigid fibrous sheet material, said base being adapted to lie flat against a horizontal supporting surface, an elongated ledge of triangular shape in cross section extending along one end of said base outwardly of the body and formed integrally with said base, and the side of said body extending from the opposite end of the base being of substantially channel shape in length to reinforce said side against bending transversely VYthereof, and means for removably securing the end of the channelshaped side to said opposite end of the base, said means including a tab on the channelshaped side extending through the base to the under side thereof, an opening being formed in the base to pass said tab therethrough.

JOHN HAMILTON.

Cri 

